Abstract

Introduction: Low birth weight of infants is one of the most serious health problems in many communities, especially in developing countries and is the second cause of infants' mortality which is affected by several risk factors, especially during pregnancy. This study was performed with aim to assess the relationship between maternal and neonatal factors during pregnancy and low birth weightas meta-analysis in Iran. Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis study, by searching in databases of SID, Medlib, Irandoc, Google scholar, Pubmed, ISI, Iranmedex, Scopus and Magiran, using the Keywords of low birth weight, mode of delivery, pregnancy weight gain, BMI, birth order and their compounds, all related articles from 1996 to 2016 were extracted. The results of studies were combined using the STATA software (version 11.2) and SPSS software (version 16). Results: A total of 22 articles with sample size of 34591 cases were entered to the study. Mother’s weight gain during pregnancy (OR: 3.13, CI 95:1.18-8.32), Maternal BMI (OR: 2.19, CI95: 1.33-3.46), pregnancy interval (OR: 2.13, CI95: 1.65-2.75), and birth order (OR: 1.3, CI95: 1.14-1.49) had statistically significant association with low birth weight. Conclusion: Improper weight gain of mother during pregnancy, maternal body mass index < 18, birth interval of less than 2 years and the birth order < 3 will increase the LBW infant. Since these risk factors are modifiable, thus it is recommended to provide appropriate instructions by the relevant authorities and reduce the birth of LBW infants in the country. © 2017, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.